Hosiery



Aug. 26, 1941. J. c. JQSTRAHAN Re. 21,

I HOSIERY Original Filed June 9, 1958 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 INVENTORJOSE%./j KHJQN BY 2 I I ATTORN Ys Rea-med Aug.26,1941

PATENT OFFICE nosmar Joseph o. JfStrahan, New York, N. 1.;

Original No. 2,236,584, dated Aprill, 1941, Serial No. 212,711, June 9,1938. Application for reissue June 19, 1941, Serial'No. 398,855

9 Claims. (Cl. 66-187) This invention relates generally to fullfashioned hosiery, and to the method of. its manufacture, and moreparticularly to the production of such hosiery by a single continuousprocess.

It will be understood that the full fashioned hosiery hereinafterreferred to is the type of hosiery made on what is known as a flat bedmachine and the term full fashioned" as herein used will be understoodto mean hosiery so made.

Full fashioned hosiery is generally made in what in effect is a twostage process requiring two .separate machines. The leg portion isknitted with heel tabs on the legger and then transferred to a secondmachine called 'a footer, however, with the heel tabs turned 90outwardly, so that their inner selvages, which on the legger wereperpendicular to the last course of the leg portion, now form lateralprolongations thereof at their opposite ends. The knitting of the footportion on the footer starts with a course 'of a length which includesnot only thelength of the last courses of the leg portion, but also thatof the lateral prolongations thereof provided by said turned heel tabs.

The outer points of the last courses of the heel tabs as the leg portioncomes off the legger becomes the outer point of the heel when thestocking is finished on the footer and seamed. The sole line whichextends from thetip of the toe to this point of the heel therefore runsto the outside selvage of the turned heel and includes the length of theselvage of the foot portion (1. e. the portion added to the footer) plusthe width of a heel tab.

The fit of the foot portion of the stocking depends upon the properproportionality between the sole length (i. e. the length of the soleline) and the length along the median line (inc. the distance along thetop of the instep from transfer line to the tip of the toe) and in the.aforementioned two machine process now generally employed, thisproperproportionality has thus been approximately attained and asatisfactorily fitting foot portion provided.

The general objects of my invention are: an uninterrupted process forknitting full fashioned stockings having correctly proportioned footportions; 9. process for knitting stockings which dispenses with thenecessity for turning the heel tabs; an uninterrupted process forknitting full fashioned stockings in which a properly proportioned footportionis attained without the neces sity of turning the heel tabs; aprocess for knitting full fashioned stockings having properly flttingfoot portions capable of being practiced on a single unit machine, andmore particularly of being practiced without requiring the. step ofturning the heel tabs; and the provision generally of a full fashionedstocking so knit that a properly fitting foot portion is attainedwithout turning of the heel tabs.

Such attempts as have been made to manufacture a stocking on a singleunit machine and by a continuous process without turned heel tabs have,proven failures for reasons that will be demonstrated in connection withthe Thierfelder Patent No. 1,404,702 which is one example of such anattempt, and in the drawings of which Figure 2 shows the leg portion Aknitted by the conventional two step process, H representing thetransfer line and B-B the two heel tabs which are turned on the footer.

In accordance with his process shown in Figure 4 Thierfelder knits hisleg down to the course a-a of Figure 4 just as the knitting wasperformed to the corresponding line H in Figure' 2 in the two stepprocess, but, however, Thierfelder continutes the knitting process onthe same unit with courses-which run all the way across, said coursesprogressively and continuously widening by a transference of the loopsat both ends until the course 0 is reached when the narrowing of themarginal loops is then begun and continued until line yy is reached,thus producing what Thierfelder calls the heel rounding 0 which extendsfrom c to 02.

Now upon comparing Figures 4 and 6 of the Thierfelder process withFigure 2 of the conventional two unit process it will be observed thatThierfelder has lost from his sole line, the vertical distance from thepoint 11 ln the line yy of Figure 4'to the line ar-a in that figure,because, whereas, in the two step process shown in Figure 2 ofThierfelder, the selvage of the foot portion knitted on the footerbegins at the line aa in that figure, the comparable portion of theselvage in Figure 4 of Thierfelder begins not at the corresponding lineH in that figure, Therefore, in

but at the line y--y thereabove. order to get a sole length inThierfelder from the point 0 of the heel in Figure 6 to the point ofproportion to the sole line as these dimensions are established in thetwo step process, and therefore, will cause an excess of fabric at theinstep and a puckering of the fabric at that point.

The patent to Wieland 1,746,846 and that to Hilscher 1,743,347 are twofurther examples of attempts which were unsuccessful for the same reasonas was the Thierfelder attempt.

Hirschler apparently recognized the defect in the Thierfelder teachingsand attempts to cor-' root the defect by the addition of the triangulararea to the heel portion defined by the point fbh. out effect because ofhis failure to realize the reason for the defect, which I will now pointout.

These attempts fail either because they did not realize the fact that aprocess which dispenses with the turning of the heel tabs will ofnecessity result in a loss'in the length of the sole line or becausethey were unable to contrive a method whereby such loss in the length ofa sole line can be successfully compensated for without adding to. thelength of the median line along the instep.

I have attained the objects of my invention by devising a processwhereby the aforementioned loss along the sole line is so compensatedfor as to give a foot portion correctly proportioned as between thelength of a sole line and that of the aforementioned median line alongthe instep as determined from experience with stockings in the two unitmachine.

While my process, like Thierfelder, contemplates starting the knitting'at what is the transfer line in the two step process with courses allthe way across that are progressively widened at both ends, unlikeThierfelder. the widening at the opposite outer edges is in processprogressively greater than at the inner lines corresponding to the linesd-b in Thierfelder, and unlike Hilscher, this increased widening at theouter edges is continued to points laterally beyond, the outer pointsand d in Hilscher, a

distance deemed sufllcient for effecting the pur-' pose of my invention,and it is at these laterally extended extreme outer points that thewidening at the outer edge is discontinued to give the eflect of thenarrowing of the fabric. I have thus compensated for the aforementionedloss in sole length by adding to the width along the line 11-11 ofFigure 4 of Thierfelder, so as to attain my increase between the points11 and c! in Figure 4 of Thierfelder, thus lengthening the sole line.

Expressed in another way, Thierfelder compensated for the loss by addingto the longitudinal component (the length of the selvage of the footportion), and correspondingly adding to the length of the aforementionedmedian line,

whereas, in accordance with my process I have compensated for the lossby adding to the horizontal component of the fabric as it is on theframe of the machine and therefore without adding to the. correspondinglongitudinal component along the median line.

I have further discovered that by widening the fabric in the heelportions in the manner aforementioned, I get an increased elasticity duein part to this increased width, and inpart to the direction of thewales and that therefore, instead of compensating for the aforementionedloss entirely by adding to the aforementioned width along the line 1Iilof Figure-4 of Thierfelder the full distance which was lost, I canHowever, this Hilscher attempt was withv make this added width somewhatless than is theoretically required and attain full compensation withthe aid of this elasticity and in addition certain added advantages tobe more fully pointed out.

The aforementioned objects and such objects as will hereinafter appearor be pointed out. are attained by'my invention, illustrativeembodiments of which are disclosed in the drawings. wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a stocking blank made in accordancewith the principles. of my invention, as it would appear while beingknitted in the machine, and disregarding the distortion due to the yarntension, which occurs when the fabric is released from the needles;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the lower portion of a stockingmade from the blank of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view, similar to Figure 1, of a second embodiment of myinvention;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the lower portion of a stockingmade from the blank of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a view on an enlarged scale of a heel tab portion of thestocking blank of Figure 1, with portions thereof broken away, and withviews of the detailed loop construction, as it would actually appear ifmagnified, inserted in first of all to Figure 1, it will be observedthat I have therein shown a stocking blank comprising a leg portion L,at the upper end of which is formed a welt portion W, and a foot portionF comprising instep and sole portions and laterally and oppositelyextending heel portions P. Attention is invited particularly to the factthat the finished stocking blank has heel portions P formed without theturning of heel tabs.

The finished stocking resulting from the use of the blank of Figure 1 isshown in Figure 2.

In both of these figures the median line drawn from the instep or ankleto the toe commences at the point m nd ends at the point t. The soleline runs long the outer edge of the foot portion fro e point s to thepoint e, and continues in a transverse direction from the point e to thepoint of the heel h. It will be noted that in the finished stocking ofFigure 2, the points t and s are coincident, as a result of'the loopingoperation.

If a stocking is to fit the foot properly there must be a definiteproportionality between the length of the median line m-t andthe soleline se-h which calls for an increase in the latter over the former,which is attained in the practice now generally employed by turning theheel tabs as already above explained. It is further.

obvious that the girth of the stocking at the ankle is limited by thedimensions of the wearer's ankle. This girth may correspond in Figure 1to the distance from the point d to the point d. Prior attempts tosupply the increase in the sole length directed themselves tolengthening the foot portion F and of necessity increasing the length ofthe median line m-t as well as the length of the lines s-e.

This procedure which has hereinabove been referred to as lengthening thelongitudinal component is therefore entirely ineffective to secure theresult desired. According to my invention,

therefore, I propose to lengthen the horizontal sole length as less thanB (=A).

may be considered as consisting of two portions, the'flrst of which runsfrom the toe to the transd-md' the knitting proceeds by the simultaneous knitting of the instep portion of the foot portion F and theheel portions P. The latter commence between the points designated andd. The operation comprises knitting courses all the way across starting'with the width from d to d and widening the fabricby transferring theloops of successive courses outwardly on both sides along the line ccand the corresponding line on the other side, and simultaneously addingneedles successively as the knitting progresses on the outermost ends ofeach heel portion so as to give the inclined selvage dk. This operationcontinues to the point In at which point the carriers are prevented fromincreased travel in the outer direction so as to terminate the wideningof the fabric at that point but the outward transference of the loopsalong the line' c still continues down to the line eh at which point aloose course may be run in, ravel courses added, the heel portionspressed off and the knitting of the foot portion continued. It will beobserved that the point k, that is the point at which the widening ofthe fabric ceases, is shown in the various figures as positioned outsideof and beyond the point I so that when finished each of the heelportions extends to the added to the width of the heel portions measuredalong the last course thereof.

It will be observed that the heel portion. P therefore comprises an areao-dfe that is of parallelogram formation and the loops of which aretransferred laterally, to the outside of which are positioned thetriangular area d-f-r and also the area k-h--fr, which represents awidening of the fabric and also a lengthening of the sole.

For purposes of comparisonof my invention with the patents heretoforediscussed, I have denoted the distance c-d by A and the distance ej byB, andit will be observed that in my construction the distance eh whichrepresents the width of the end of the heel tab, and which is theaforementioned horizontal component of the sole length, greatly exceedsthe distance B, which is equal to the distance A.

In the aforementioned patents, the width of the heel tab at its end, andconsequently, the horizontal component of'the sole length, never exceedsthe distance A. In most cases the disclosure shows the horizontalcomponent of the At most the disclosures show this horizontal component.as

equal to B (:10.

Mechanically expressed I may state that my invention contemplates therelation:

Horizontal component :3 plus jh In the prior art on the other hand:

Horizontal component 58 verse course that bounds the heel tabs at theirends, while the second extends from this course to the point m in theinstep. The first portion will be equal in length to the selvage s-e ofthe foot portion, because the number of courses traversing the medianline and the selvage is the same, while the second portion, according tomy teachings will be made less than e-; or B plus ,f-h. This latterconstruction is nowhere found in the prior art.

The left-hand side of Figure 1 comprises a diagrammatic indication ofthe direction of the ithat the finished stocking has a heelconstrucpoint h, and'the distance 1 to It will have been wales. It willbe observed that the inner transferred loop area of the teel tab portionc--d--j-e is separated from the foot portion A by a row of open-workloops indicated at III, while a row of fashion marks is indicated at II.

By referring to Figure 2 it will be observed tion comprising aparallel-walled band c-d f-e, and that to the right of the line 11- is aheel pocket dkd--f. The point h, marking the end of the sole line ispositioned to the right of the line d.f and beyond the area cdrje.

It follows from what has been said before, that in the prior art thepoint 11. will either coincide with the point I or will be located tothe left thereof.

In the second embodiment of my invention as illustrated in Figures 3 and4, I have indicated another manner of obtaining an added horizontalincrement f-h for the sole length. In these figures similar letters andnumerals have been used and it would be superfluous to repeat thedetailed description thereof. It will be observed on comparison ofFigures 3 and d with Figures 1 and 2, and the point d is no longerpositioned on the margin of the blank or the edge of the stocking but ispositioned some distance inward. The wale lines at the left of Figure 3indicate how this effect can be obtained. It will be observed thatwhereas in Figure 1 the addition of extra wales commenced at the pointd, simultaneously with the transferring operation, in Figure 3, theaddition of extra wales commences at a point w, well in advance'of thepoint at which the transferring commences. is reached'the transferringoperation commences and the addition of extra wales continues. In thismanner the extra sole length fh isobtained as before, while at the sametime fullness is obtained. at d and between the points k and d.

In Figure 5, which shows one of the heel tab portions P of the typeshown in Figure 1 on an enlarged scale, one manner in which the wideningof these portions is indicated in detail.

In this figure, as before, L denotes the leg porportion.

The last course of the leg portion extends sub- 7 stantially between thepoints c and d, and thereafter, to the right of the point C, the loopsare shown transferred one needle to the right, while at the same timethe wales of the foot section F are shown as increased, whereby thediagonal row of openwork loops is formed.

The courses including loops It and I6, i8 and 20 and 2! and 24, whilehaving the loops thereof transferred, comprise the same number of loopsas the course between the points c and d, but the next course 26 and 28includes two extra loops,

, 29 and 30, obtained by increasing the travel of the yarn carrier bytwo extra needles, without When the point d however discontinuing thetransferring operation. The next five courses are shown as bounded bythe same Wale, but in the next course the loops 3| and 32 indicateanother increase in the number of loops and the widening of theheeltabby the addition of two extra wales.

This cycle may be continued as long a further widening of th heel tabportion is desired, and to indicate this I have shown the sixth courseafter the one containing the loops 3|, 32 as having loops 33 and 34added thereto.

At the point marked 1' the outer loops are no longer transferred, whiletransferring is continued for the inner loops, whereby the fashioningmarks l2 result, and the width of the blank becomes constant, asindicated by the link lch.

While in accordance with the theoretical prac:

tice of my invention the distance from f to-h in Figure 1 should equalthe loss in the length of the sole line by the one step processresulting as above explained, as a matter of fact this distance has beenmade shorter than that loss and I have done this purposefully becauselfind that as a result of my manner of knitting my stocking I get acompensation in another direction which supplements the partialcompensation arrived at by the added width from f to h whicl1 gives me afull compensation in a more satisfactory manner. As a result of theadded width and the manner of its formation as shown at the left inFigure 2 where the direction of the wales have been illustrated there isa greatly increased stretch in that portion of the fabric formed betweenthe points and e on the inside and the selvage on the outside thereofand that as a resuit of this increased stretch there will be providednot only a proportionality such as was my main objective but also ayieldability which will cause the stocking to hug the foot at the heelwith a fit and a snugness not hitherto attainable so that thereby Iattain this character of fit for the Wide variation found in the humanheel formation.

It is to be understood that th particular manner of widening hereinabovedescribed is Only one of the many ways that it may be effected, and thatI have selected this particular -manner merely because I have found itsatisfactory in actual practice.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A full fashioned stocking blank having a foot portion and integralheel portions laterally positioned in relation to the foot portion andknitted integrally with the foot portion and said heel tabs beingterminated by a course running transversely of the blank, and the solelength being composed of a free edge of the foot portion and atransverse component constituted by the outer transverse end of a heeltab, and said outer end of each heel tab being of greater length thanthe width of the heel tab at its inner end.

2. The process of knitting a fabric blank on a flat bed machine by acontinuous process to form a full fashioned stocking, said processcomprising knitting the heel portion and the foot portion in onecontinuous integral knitting operation and widening the fabric of. theheel portion by a normal widening at the inner edge thereof by atransference of loops and additionally widening the fabric at theselvage by a progressive increase in needles continued to a point so asto give aheel portion width at the finish of the heel portion greaterthan that at th beginning of the heel portion and a blank width at thefinish of ,the heel portion that is a maximum for the blank. 3. Theprocess of knitting a fabric blank on a flat bed machine by a continuousprocess to form a full fashioned stocking, said process comprising 1knitting the heel portion and the foot portion by courses laid all theway across and widening the fabric of the-heel portion by a normalwidening at the inner edge thereof by a transference of loops andadditionally widening of the fabric at the selvage by a progressiveincrease in needles continued to a point so as to give a heel portionwidth at the finish of the heel portion greater than that at thebeginning of the hee1 portion and a blank width that is a maximum forthe blank. I

4. A full fashioned stocking with the foot, leg and heel portionsknitted by a continuous process on a flat bed machine, said heelportions having the wales thereof diverging outwardly in the directionof the knitting and with the wales in one heel portion at an angle tothe wales of the adjacent foot portion, the heel portions being given anexcess of width at their outer ends over that of their inner ends andbeing terminated by a substantially transverse course, whereby to addtothe length of the sole line by the excess width and whereby theelasticity of the heel section is increased to provide an increase instretch, the effect of which is as if the sole line had beenadditionally increased and at the same time to more fully accommodatethe variability in the human heel.

5. A full fashioned stocking blank adapted for being knitted in a singleoperation and one single flat-bed machine, comprising a foot portion andby the transverse ends of said heel portions, said heel portions runningin an outward direction from their inner or ankle portions toward theirouter ends so that their wales lie at a steep angle to the wales of thefoot portion and the adjacent boundaries of the foot portion di-.

verging outwardly, and the width of each of said heel tabs increasingprogressively from its inner or ankle ends towards its outer endthroughout substantially its whole extent, such increase in width beingobtained by the addition of wales and said blank having its maximumwidth at the ends of said heel portions.

6. The herein described process of knitting a blank for a full fashionedstocking by continuous and uninterrupted knitting on a single machine,which consists in knitting courses forming the leg portion,continuously. knitting the foot portion comprising the instep and soleportions, and latorally and oppositely extending heel portions, thecourses of said heel portions being knit integrally with andsimultaneously with courses of the instep portion, and being knit ofsuch length that the sole line extending from the point of the toe tothe point of theheel is of greater length than ous with the courses ofthe instepportiun, said heel portions having each an edge extendingoutwardly from the adjacent lateral edge oithe sole portion to theoutermost edge of the heel portion, the combined length oi? said edgesof the sole and heel portions being greater than the length of themedian line from the toe to the instep.

8. A 11111 fashioned stocking formed 01 a blank made by continuous anduninterrupted knitting portion, being of greater length than the medianand having a leg portion, and a foot portion, saidfoot portioncomprising sole and instep portions, and oppositely and laterallyextending heel por-' tions, the courses 0! said heel portions being continuous with courses of the instep portion, the sole line of thestocking extending from the toe to the point of the heel and comprisingthe union of the longitudinal edges 01' the sole portion and 15 v a I sthe laterally extending terminal edges of the heel line from the toe tothe instep.

9. A full fashioned stocking formed of a blank made by continuous anduninterrupted knitting and having a leg portion, and a foot portion,said,

foot portion comprising sole and instep portions and oppositely andlaterally extending heel por tions, the courses of said heel portionsbeing co'ntinuous with courses of the instep portion and being of suchlength that the sole line 01 the stocking extending irom the toe to thepoint of the heel is of greater length than the median line from the toeto the instep.

JOSEPH C. J. STRAHAN.

